In November, Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh recorded the worst air quality in India, with pollution levels staying above national standards for all 30 days, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Research
on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The city reported a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 224 micrograms per cubic metre, making it the most polluted city in the country.
Which were the top polluted cities?
Nine other cities joined Ghaziabad in the list of the most polluted urban centres. These included Noida, Bahadurgarh, Delhi, Hapur, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Sonipat, Meerut, and Rohtak. Uttar Pradesh accounted for six of these cities, Haryana for three, while Delhi completed the top 10.
Except for Delhi, all cities recorded higher PM2.5 levels compared with last year.
Delhi was ranked fourth, with a monthly average of 215 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly double its October average of 107. The Capital experienced 23 very poor days, six severe days, and one poor day.
One key finding noted that the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s air pollution was lower this year. Its average share stood at 7%, compared with 20% last year. The peak contribution was 22%, well below the 38% recorded in 2023.
Despite this, 20 out of 29 NCR cities showed higher pollution levels than last year. Except Bahadurgarh, none of the top 10 cities recorded even a single day within the safe daily PM2.5 limit.
CREA analyst Manoj Kumar said the data highlights the influence of year-round emission sources such as transport, industry, power plants, and other combustion activities. Without targeted emission cuts, he warned, cities would continue to breach air-quality standards.
The analysis also showed that air pollution remained a serious problem across several states. Rajasthan had the highest number of polluted cities, with 23 out of 34 exceeding the national limit. Haryana had 22 of 25 above the standard, while Uttar Pradesh had 14 of 20. High PM2.5 levels were also recorded in cities across Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Punjab.
Shillong leads as the cleanest city
In sharp contrast, Shillong in Meghalaya recorded the lowest pollution, with a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of just 7 micrograms per cubic metre. The list of cleanest cities also featured six cities from Karnataka and one each from Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
